Comments on: Still time to “do a crazy thing”http://natsinsider.com/2013/08/30/still-time-to-do-a-crazy-thing/
News, analysis and commentary from someone who has covered the Washington Nationals since Day 1Tue, 03 Mar 2015 20:16:17 +0000hourly1http://wordpress.com/By: Sec 3, My Sofahttp://natsinsider.com/2013/08/30/still-time-to-do-a-crazy-thing/comment-page-1/#comment-267781
Fri, 30 Aug 2013 19:42:38 +0000http://natsinsider.com/?p=24748#comment-267781Excellent idea IMO. ArVa, what do you think? It’s your writing.
]]>By: Sonny G 10http://natsinsider.com/2013/08/30/still-time-to-do-a-crazy-thing/comment-page-1/#comment-267771
Fri, 30 Aug 2013 18:48:18 +0000http://natsinsider.com/?p=24748#comment-267771I agree with you, Doc. I don’t remember a play I’ve seen this year where I would really disagree with Jewett sending a runner. As you say, a lot of throws to home are not on targer. Given our poor ability to drive in runners earlier in the year, I say we stand a better chance at scoring a run if we send the runner home than if we hold him and hope someone can drive him in.
]]>By: McR-richhttp://natsinsider.com/2013/08/30/still-time-to-do-a-crazy-thing/comment-page-1/#comment-267754
Fri, 30 Aug 2013 17:56:44 +0000http://natsinsider.com/?p=24748#comment-267754The umpire Q&A has been really good.
Is there anyway to compile them an add them upload them to a blog post, or to Mark, or even the drink spreadsheet
(https://docs.google.com/spreadsheet/ccc?key=0ArHMZg5A8wSXdGViSG8xUGQxUlZzaUVxekJFNHFRcEE#gid=0) ??
]]>By: Steady Eddiehttp://natsinsider.com/2013/08/30/still-time-to-do-a-crazy-thing/comment-page-1/#comment-267737
Fri, 30 Aug 2013 16:26:48 +0000http://natsinsider.com/?p=24748#comment-267737Also equally important is that he mostly throws strikes and challenge fastballs with good movement on them, especially early in the count. So it feeds on itself in a positive way. Hitters don’t want to get behind so they put the ball in play on early pitches, and the movement on his pitches is enough that they don’t square the ball up much. He’s probably been lucky on BAPIP at an unsustainable .212, but that ain’t purely luck either.
]]>By: Eugene in Oregonhttp://natsinsider.com/2013/08/30/still-time-to-do-a-crazy-thing/comment-page-1/#comment-267722
Fri, 30 Aug 2013 14:32:26 +0000http://natsinsider.com/?p=24748#comment-267722Also agree. At the end of the season, particularly if the Nats miss the playoffs by a couple of games, much will be said about Rafael Soriano’s three or four most egregious blown saves. But the reality will be that the Nats season-long failure was not winning numerous games in which the pitching staff gave up three or fewer runs. Just because Mr. Soriano doesn’t yell and scream and beat himself up doesn’t mean he isn’t making the effort. Just ask Mr. Mattheus how effective yelling, screaming, and smashing things is.
]]>By: nats106http://natsinsider.com/2013/08/30/still-time-to-do-a-crazy-thing/comment-page-1/#comment-267721
Fri, 30 Aug 2013 14:27:35 +0000http://natsinsider.com/?p=24748#comment-267721JD, you are right. But I am having more fun going to games than I have all year and if we keep winning we might have a shot. To some extent I want to convince myself that we can lose one of the 3 games against the Mets and still get in, but as you say, each loss means a lost opportunity with diminishing chances to make up ground.

Regardless, we will know in 9 days if we still have a prayer. If we can’t pull within 2 games by the time the Reds close out the Dodgers series, then we are pretty much done. Until then, I’m going to keep enjoying the games and telling myself even if we lose one, we can still get there.

Saw some comments about Houston having the (E) beside them in the standings. I also noted that the Braves have their magic number posted for a couple of days now. If they haven’t clinched by the time they come here for their final series, I’m not sure I can stomach coming to a game where they might do so against us.

Yep. It’s easy to say “he’s worse than everybody else”, but is anyone else actually comparing? Or are we just frustrated? One of the first two runs, last night (I forget which) Jewitt sent a guy home and I thought he was crazy. The throw was 25 feet off line, no problem.

This is just like, say, a blown save, or a failed bunt attempt: the failures really sting and are memorable. But that doesn’t mean it’s worse than other teams. It just feels that way.

]]>By: adcwonkhttp://natsinsider.com/2013/08/30/still-time-to-do-a-crazy-thing/comment-page-1/#comment-267719
Fri, 30 Aug 2013 14:11:11 +0000http://natsinsider.com/?p=24748#comment-267719Davey’s also a master at psychology. For all we know he might have been saying to the vets: “OK, I’ve had enough of this crap, if you guys don’t get it done, you’re going to start sitting.”

It seems to have worked, no? (Except, sadly, for ALR).

]]>By: dgourdshttp://natsinsider.com/2013/08/30/still-time-to-do-a-crazy-thing/comment-page-1/#comment-267718
Fri, 30 Aug 2013 14:10:39 +0000http://natsinsider.com/?p=24748#comment-267718The most impressive part of last night’s game to me was Harper’s opposite field HR. He stayed back on a high change up, mishit the ball on the label, but still had enough backspin and power to get it into the begonias above the right field fence. As FP said, the game is slowing down for him. How exciting is that? This kid could be Hall of Fame good! Wow, if Werth stays scorching hot and Harper, Zim, LaRoche, Ramos and Rendon play to their potential, this might be a special end of the season!
]]>By: adcwonkhttp://natsinsider.com/2013/08/30/still-time-to-do-a-crazy-thing/comment-page-1/#comment-267717
Fri, 30 Aug 2013 14:09:29 +0000http://natsinsider.com/?p=24748#comment-267717Under 13/inning is, indeed, outstanding.

But I think the explanation is that his WHIP is ridiculously low (0.776). He pitches to fewer people because so few get hits or walks (beware: small sample size).

*NOTE*:

His WHIP while at Syracuse this year was also less than 1.000 (!). He’s really come into his own this year, at age 26. (His past _two_ years his WHIP was a terrible 1.40+)

This is also a reminder that players generally continually get better until age 26 or 27. When we consider how many players we have under that age . . . portends a great future!

]]>By: NatsLadyhttp://natsinsider.com/2013/08/30/still-time-to-do-a-crazy-thing/comment-page-1/#comment-267716
Fri, 30 Aug 2013 14:07:43 +0000http://natsinsider.com/?p=24748#comment-267716Wonk, the thing that upset me was Davey saying, it might be a bust and I’m going to try out the younger players.

Luckily, Werth, Harper, and Desi didn’t pay attention to that.

]]>By: NatsLadyhttp://natsinsider.com/2013/08/30/still-time-to-do-a-crazy-thing/comment-page-1/#comment-267715
Fri, 30 Aug 2013 14:05:40 +0000http://natsinsider.com/?p=24748#comment-267715It seems as if getting swept by ATL could have been the turning point. Forget the division. Just, forget it. Forget fighting for it, forget thinking out it. Not our year on that. Play ballgames. Since that sweep, 14-5. Yes, our boys played hard against Atlanta, two 1-run losses and the 15-inning win. BUT–I think the focus was on winning games, not winning the division.

14-5 is pretty amazing. I rechecked, just to make sure. That is .736 baseball. “Crazy thing.”

“… it took the team playing well for him to manage a little bit better instead of the other way around. ”

I think this perfectly exemplifies the hindsight vision that many use to criticize Davey. Unfairly. A guy who’s been managing since the 1980’s doesn’t suddenly get worse (right after winning Manager of the Year) because his team isn’t playing up to expectations, and then suddenly get better because his team is playing well.

Many of his decisions have backfired because the players haven’t been performing well. But that doesn’t mean he didn’t make the most reasonable decision at the time. The bullpen has been praising — extremely — Davey’s management of the BP. I’ll take their view over some critics here.

Taking it one game at a time the reality is that losing even one game to a bad team at home with only 29 games left and 6.5 behind is very damaging. I mean if we sweep the Mets and the Reds get swept our position would still be very tenuous.

We simply need to approach every game as a must win. If you want to create the miracle there aren’t many more games to be lost.

]]>By: dgourdshttp://natsinsider.com/2013/08/30/still-time-to-do-a-crazy-thing/comment-page-1/#comment-267712
Fri, 30 Aug 2013 13:53:14 +0000http://natsinsider.com/?p=24748#comment-267712I agree about the change in Davey’s managerial style. He finally has some ugency to his decisions and has imposed some accountability for lack of performance. This also may be Rizzo’s doing. I love that they sent down Storen to AAA to adjust his mechanics and attitude. And I really love how Davey didn’t d**k around when Storen walked a leadoff batter and pulled him from the game. I also love that he’s done the same thing with Mattheus. His patience has driven me crazy this year and he is finally demanding accountability. The majors isn’t the place to develop players (e.g. Espinosa). The team has responded. It’s exciting to think we’re still in it, but even if we come up short, it bodes well for next year that the team has reverted to excellent baseball to finish out the season.
]]>By: Steady Eddiehttp://natsinsider.com/2013/08/30/still-time-to-do-a-crazy-thing/comment-page-1/#comment-267711
Fri, 30 Aug 2013 13:38:47 +0000http://natsinsider.com/?p=24748#comment-267711Oy. Auto dictate strikes again. That’s “pitches” not “chairs”, and “a typical” NOT “atypical”.
]]>By: bowdenballhttp://natsinsider.com/2013/08/30/still-time-to-do-a-crazy-thing/comment-page-1/#comment-267710
Fri, 30 Aug 2013 13:35:43 +0000http://natsinsider.com/?p=24748#comment-267710To give you an example of this – every site will have the Diamondbacks as having playoff odds than the Nats. Which makes sense if you don’t account for personnel- they have a better run differential, have a half-game lead on us in the standings, and they are only 9.5 back in their division instead of 13 back.

But I bet every oddsmaker would give the Nationals a better chance. Why? Because they’re more talented than the D-Backs, and they’re red hot, and the Mets and Phillies teams they will face down the stretch are far worse than their records indicate.

]]>By: Steady Eddiehttp://natsinsider.com/2013/08/30/still-time-to-do-a-crazy-thing/comment-page-1/#comment-267709
Fri, 30 Aug 2013 13:35:22 +0000http://natsinsider.com/?p=24748#comment-267709At the game last night, I was struck once again by how unbelievably pitch efficient Tanner Roark has been this year. Literally ran up to take a pitstop after the eighth and then realized he might close out the ninth before I got back out on the concourse!

Looked this morning at his pitch count numbers and saw that he has gotten 58 outs (19.1 innings) on exactly 250 chairs. That’s less than 13 pitches Per inning, which Would be a pretty remarkable statistic for atypical veteran pitcher, let alone a first time to the majors rookie.

]]>By: Sec 3, My Sofahttp://natsinsider.com/2013/08/30/still-time-to-do-a-crazy-thing/comment-page-1/#comment-267708
Fri, 30 Aug 2013 13:32:21 +0000http://natsinsider.com/?p=24748#comment-267708Certainly there is some player somewhere who would have tried to go through the catcher. Nyjer Morgan comes to mind. I don’t have any data on the frequency of collisions at the plate, I get the feeling they are way down compared to years ago. Buster Posey’s injury is one reason. Ray Fosse’s should have been.

Catchers handle that kind of play differently now, off to the side rather than completely blocking, so in that case, there’s less reason, or fewer opportunities, to run through the catcher.

]]>By: nats106http://natsinsider.com/2013/08/30/still-time-to-do-a-crazy-thing/comment-page-1/#comment-267705
Fri, 30 Aug 2013 13:01:23 +0000http://natsinsider.com/?p=24748#comment-267705Nicasio has been hot as of late, but like you say, you never know at Coors.

De La Rosa has a career ERA just under double digits (9.87) against the Reds. CBS Sportsline has him pitching against Arroyo tonight-maybe I’m just reading it wrong because of the late night and “I Can’t Drive 55″ ringing in my ears.